The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-11-07
MONDAY, NOV. Z, 1887.
PUBLIC OPINION MUST PRECEDE.

PUBLIC OPINION MUST PRECEDE.
In a free country, where the
power of government is in the hands
Of the people, public opinion must
always precede legislation, if the
legislation is to be anything more
than a dead letter. To legislate
ahead of public sentiment, that is,
to enact laws which are not in ac-
cordance with the general wish OF
are not supported by the popular
will, is folly, because no such laws
can ever be effectually enforced. If
the public knows what it wants,
sooner or later the Legislation will
follow; but the best laws, among a
free people, are waste paper if they
are not approved and appreciated.
Thus, in order to effect real improve
ment in the sanitary and social con-
dition of the people, the people
themselves must see its necessity
and desire its accomplishment or,
in other words, public sentiment
must run in that channel. Other
wise laws and regulations aiming at
that object, however wise and good,
cannot accomplish much. A COM
munity or a nation of free people
cannot be made to benefit to any
considerable extent by measure
which is really for its good, against
its will or without its intelligent CO.
operation. 1t is hard to get laws
effectually put in force where they
interfere with the profits or con-
venience of individuals, although
they may be in the interest of the
general welfare, unless they are sup
ported by opinion.
Two propositions which directly
touch the public welfare to a greater
or less degree have been and are
being more or Less debated in this
community - the prohibition Of
opium and the prohibition of
intoxicants. These two propositions
should be calmly considered in the
light of the foregoing reasoning. In
this way only can a reasonable con-
clusion be arrived at as to which is
the sensible course to pursue-to
prohibit entirely or to legalize the
importation and regulate the sale
and use. Let us look for moment
at these propositions. Does public
opinion favor the Misrepresentation
of opium? So far as the voting
power of the country is concerned,
it undoubtedly does. Those OPP
posed to prohibition are, we believe,
a very small minority. Indeed, the
Act of 1886 which legalized the i'm
portation of the drug was passed in
defiance of public opinion, and was
one among the many contributing
causes of the revolution. Public
sentiment is ripe for the re-enact-
ment of prohibition. But how about
the prohibition of intoxicants? This
is widely different question from
the other. Opium prohibition af-
fects a class only, but the prohibit
ton of wines, spirits and malt
liquors affects every class of the
community, and VIC very much
doubt if the people are prepared to
back up the measure. We firmly
believe that it would be we'll for the
nation and the country if all descrip-
tions of intoxicants were totally I'M
known, but we do not believe that
the nation is yet ready and willing to
forego their use and Danish them
from the land. Public opinion is not
favorable to prohibitory legislation:
public sentiment is against it. Be-
fore such a measure can be enacted
and made effective the people gen.
orally must be interested and their
cooperation enlisted.